So, today I offer 10 red wines worthy of your attention and use with the hearty fare we prepare during cooler weather, if this country ever gets cooler weather. We’re running 10 to 15 degrees above normal in this neck o’ the woods. Anyway, these wines represent California; Italy’s Piedmont region; Australia’s McLaren Vale; and three sections of Spain, all featuring the tempranillo grape. The grapes and blends of grapes involved are equally diverse. As usual in these Weekend Wine Notes, I eschew the technical, geographical and historical I tend to dote upon for the sake of quick and incisive reviews designed to pique your interest and whet your palate. Enjoy, in moderation, of course. These wines were samples for review.
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Angeline Vineyards Reserve Pinot Noir 2015, Mendocino County 80%, Sonoma County 20%.13.9% alc. Transparent medium ruby shading to an ethereal rim; rose petals and sandalwood, pomegranate and cranberry, a hint of loam that expands to form a foundation for the whole enterprise; satiny and supple but nicely sanded and burnished by mild graphite-tinged tannins; a few minutes in the glass being in notes of wood smoke, red cherry and raspberry; grows quite dense and chewy, almost succulent but riven by straight-arrow acidity that cuts a swath on the palate; builds in power and structure. Now through 2018 or ’19. You could sell the hell out of this pinot noir in restaurant and bar wine-by-the-glass programs. Excellent. About $18, representing Great Value.
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Bonny Doon A Proper Claret 2014, California. 13.2% alc. 36% cabernet sauvignon, 22% petit verdot, 22% tannat, 9% syrah, 7% merlot, 3% cabernet franc, 1% petite sirah. The point of Bonny Doon’s A Proper Claret is that it is not a proper claret at all, not with the inclusion of tannat, syrah and petite sirah. Ho-ho. Medium ruby with a transparent magenta rim; untamed and exotic, with notes of dried berries, baking spices and flowers; opens to black fruit scents and flavors with a tinge of red fruit; firm, moderately dense, supported by plenty of dusty graphite-laden tannins and bright acidity; needs a steak or leg of lamb. Very Good+. About $16.
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Chronic Cellars Purple Paradise 2014, Paso Robles. 14.5% alc. 77% zinfandel, 14% syrah, 8% petite sirah, 1% grenache. Medium ruby hue; a feral and flinty flurry of black currants, mulberries and plums; a hint of blueberry, with cedar and mint; warm and spicy with notes of cloves and sandalwood; a high, wild baked berry tone; very dry, quite dense and chewy, firm sinewy structure packed with dusty tannins and lively acidity. Now through 2018. Very Good+. About $15.As you can see, the label is appropriate for Halloween parties.
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Viña Eguía Tempranillo 2013, Rioja, Spain. 13.5% alc. 100% tempranillo. Medium ruby hue shading to a delicate mulberry rim; violets and rose petals, blueberries and red currants, leather and smoke; an exotic dusting of cloves, sandalwood and allspice, with a hint of the latter’s woody, slightly astringent quality; though moderate in tannins, this gains weight and heft as the minutes pass, picking up a fleshy, meaty character to the macerated and baked dark fruit flavors; animated by brisk acidity. Terrific character for the price. Now through 2018. Very Good+. About $14, marking Excellent Value.
Imported by Quintessential Wines, Napa, Calif.
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Bodegas Fariña Dama de Toro Tempranillo 2014, Toro, Spain. 13.5% alc. With 5% garnacha. Medium ruby-mulberry color; loam, dust, graphite, mint, iodine; hints of red and black currants and blueberries, permeated by dried spices and flowers; very dense, dry, smoky, chewy; smacky tannins coat the palate. What it lacks in charm it makes by for in inchoate power and dynamism. Try 2018 to ’20 with pork shoulder roast slathered in salsa verde or grilled pork chops with a cumin-chili powder rub. Very Good+. About $15.
Imported by Quintessential Wines, Napa, Calif.
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Marchesi di Gresy Barbera d’Asti 2014, Piedmont, Italy. 13% alc. 100% barbera grapes. Medium ruby-violet hue; an attractive bouquet of potpourri, dried baking spices and dried currants; hints of cedar, tobacco and lead pencil; clean and spare with plenty of acid cut for liveliness and lip-smacking tannins; pulls up elements of black cherries, mulberries and plums, all slightly spiced and macerated, and touches of cherry pit and skin; the finish is packed with earthy tannins and graphite minerality. Now through 2019 to ’22 with salumi, red meat pizzas and pasta dishes — especially pappardelle with rabbit — or aged hard cheeses. Excellent. About $18.
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Peachy Canyon Incredible Red Zinfandel 2014, California. 14.5% alc. With 2% petite sirah. Dark ruby shading lighter to an invisible rim; notes of spicy and slightly roasted black currants, cherries and plums, a strain of wild berry and white pepper and hints of wood smoke, ground cardamom and cumin; rich on the palate but tempered by loamy and velvety tannins and clean acidity; an element of dusty graphite minerality dominates the finish. A well-made zinfandel for everyday drinking. Very Good+. About $14.
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Real Compañía de Vinos Tempranillo 2012, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla, Spain. 13.5% alc. 100% tempranillo. Vibrant inky purple; a very deep, dark, warm, spicy loamy tempranillo with staggering, mineral and graphite-laced tannins that don’t prevent a hint of floral-inflected black currant and plum fruit and touches of heather, cedar and black olive from emerging from the ebon depths; there is, in fact, surprising elegance and finesse at play in the balance between structure, acid, fruit and oak elements. Drink now through 2018 or ’19. Very Good+. About — I’m not kidding — $12, a Remarkable Value.
Imported by Quintessential Wines, Napa, Calif.
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Robert Oatley GSM 2014, McLaren Vale, Australia. 13.5% alc. 48% grenache, 47% syrah, 5% mourvèdre. Dark ruby with a lighter magenta rim; ripe and spicy notes of roasted plums and currants, with traces of red licorice and leather, briers and brambles; a few moments in the glass bring in alluring touches of allspice and sandalwood, dried sage and rosemary; dry, dusty and slightly austere tannins serve as foundation for lithe, supple black and red fruit flavors boosted by fleet acidity and graphite minerality. For all its structure, the wine is juicy, seductive and tasty. Drink now through 2018 or ’19. Excellent. About $20.
Imported by Pacific Highway Wines & Spirits, Greensboro, N.C.
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Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery Red4 2013, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo County. 14.9% alc. 41% petite sirah, 40% syrah, 10% mourvèdre, 9% grenache. Dark ruby-magenta color; redolent of macerated and slightly baked mixed berries, cloves and iodine, espresso, wood smoke and roasted fennel — heady stuff indeed; a lightly resistant dusty, velvety texture bolstered by persistent tannins packed with graphite and loam; a long expressive finish. A lot going on here for the price. Drink now through 2018. Excellent. About $17.
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Ah, Summer — sea-coast and mountains, or perhaps just lazy weekend afternoons in your own backyard or on a patio or porch or balcony. Wherever you find yourself, you’ll need a glass of a cool, engaging, pretty wine to enjoy with picnic fare or appetizers or just to sip while contemplating all the goodness that life offers. I mean, cripes, we need that now! These Weekend Wine Notes are a bit fuller than usual because this post started off last week as a stand-alone piece but took too long. So now, here it is. All wines mentioned today were samples for review. All rate “Excellent,” even the cheap ones, so there are some real bargains here. Enjoy! And take care of yourselves, please.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________Ascevi Luwa Ronco Superiore Ceròu 2014, Friuli Isonza, Italy. 12.5% alc. 100% tocai friulano grapes. The color is pale gold; collectively, in scent and flavor, the wine conjures a sense of mountain heather and valley meadows, of seaside and hillside; pears, almonds and peaches dominate, along with jasmine and honeysuckle, while a hint of honey leavens the savory-saline quality, though the wine is, as they say, bone-dry. Limestone-seashell minerality adds vividness to the wine’s crystalline clarity and chiming acidity, all borne on a lithe, alluring texture. This rates a big “Wow!” Drink now through 2018 or ’19. Production was 500 cases. Excellent. About $18, marking Great Value.
Imported by Quintessential Wines, Napa, Calif.
______________________________________________________________________________________________Colomé Torrontés 2015, Calchaqui Valley, Salta, Argentina. 13.5% alc. 100% torrontés grapes. Derived from vineyards above 5,000 feet, this pale gold torrontes shimmers with notes of jasmine, lilac and talc, brambly pear and lychee, bee’s-wax and lanolin, then opening to hints of roasted lemon, sage and bay leaf. Crisp and lively on the palate, propelled by tart and taut acidity, the wine features a lovely, lithe, supple texture and a finish that’s suave with a sunny-leafy-figgy character and a deeper tone of grapefruit bitterness. This wonderful complexity on perhaps the best torrontés wine I have tasted has nothing to do with oak. Now through 2017 or ’18. Excellent. About $15, a Remarkable Bargain.
Imported by The Hess Collection Winery, Napa Calif.
____________________________________________________________________________________________Dry Creek Vineyard Wilson Ranch Dry Chenin Blanc 2015, Clarksburg. 13% alc. The Clarksburg AVA
includes portions of Sacramento County, Solano County and Yolo County in the Sacramento Valley. The color is very pale straw-gold; notes of hay and heather, pear and jasmine and an intriguing strain of a dusty garrigue-like meadowy quality lend this wine a distinct summery aspect. Hints of gooseberry and brambly currants, quince and ginger complete the lithe, spare, vibrant package. Always a favorite in our house. Excellent. About $13, representing Terrific value.
__________________________________________________________________________________________FEL Pinot Gris 2015, Anderson Valley, Mendocino County. 14% alc. A pale gold hue for a wine that feels golden; notes of ripe pears and peaches are cloaked in dusty, graphite mineral elements and wreathed with jasmine and lilac; a few moments in the glass produce hints of green apple, gunflint, quince and ginger and fresh-mown hay; tremendous minerality and acidity give this wine unexpected grip and power, aspects that do not, however, subtract from its delicate, leafy, lacy qualities. It seems to glow with sunlight from within. The wine fermented in a 900-gallon French oak tank (30%), small neutral French oak barrels (30%) and stainless steel tanks (40%). Produxction was 1,322 cases. Drink through 2019 to 2020. Excellent. About $25.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________Garofoli Serra del Conte 2014, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico. 12% alc. The DOC is in the province of Ancona in Italy’s Marches region, close to the Adriatic sea. The color is pale straw; notes of hay and dry grass, spiced pear and peach and fleshy white flowers like gardenias and camellias distinguish the utterly beguiling bouquet, which opens to exotic hints of powdered cloves and coriander. The texture is silken, lithe and supple, driven by crystalline acidity and a lacy limestone mineral quality, all supporting stone-fruit flavors heightened by a note of grapefruit bitterness on the finish. Excellent. About $11 — no kidding! — so Buy It by the Case Right Now.
Dalla Terra Winery Direct, Napa, Calif.
____________________________________________________________________________________________Stinson Vineyards Rosé 2015, Monticello, Virginia. 12.5% alc. 100% mourvèdre grapes. Production was 150 cases. A rose wine of extreme delicacy and elegance, this model offers a pale salmon-peach hue and transporting hints of orange zest and ripe strawberries, melon and sour cherry, with high notes of rose petals and violets. There’s enough limestone minerality and a touch of loamy earthiness in this rosé that resists being merely charming, while its quite dry texture leads to a spice and dried herb finish. Excellent. About $21.
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Imported by Vintus LLC, Pleasantville, N.Y.
___________________________________________________________________________________________Troon Vineyard Vermentino Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Applegate Valley, Southern Oregon. 12.5% alc. 80% vermentino, 20% sauvignon blanc. Production was 167 cases. The color is a shimmering pale straw hue; notes of roasted lemons and spiced pears burgeon from the glass, attended by hints of greengage and yellow flowers, dried thyme, heather and meadow grass. The wine displays real grip for a white wine that’s not chardonnay or riesling and reveals remarkable detail and dimension in its permeable layers of dusty limestone and flint minerality, its dense and lithe texture and its nuances of spicy citrus and stone-fruit flavors, all energized by vivid acidity. Quite a performance. Drink through 2018 to 2020. Excellent. About $24.
_________________________________________________________________________________________Two Shepherds Fanucchi Vineyard Trousseau Gris 2014, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County.Winemaker William Allen ferments the white grapes (using native yeast) on the skins for the first five days, imparting a pale copper-smoky topaz hue, and after fermentation ages the wine eight months in neutral oak barrels. Neither a white wine nor a red or rose, this intriguing effort offers notes of spiced pear, Rainier cherries and yellow plums with a ping of red currant at the core; like a rosé from Provence, this wine embodies that ineffable yet characteristic aspect of dusty-damp roof tiles, yet unlike any rosé it features hints of savory and slightly bitter almond skin and a saline line of marsh grass. The finish is almost sherry-like. Another memorable performance. 13.5 percent alcohol. Production was 125 cases. Drink through 2018. Excellent. About $28.
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If you’re grilling leg of lamb studded with garlic and rosemary, here’s a wine for you. The Quivira Elusive 2013, from Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley, is a southern Rhône-style blend of 49 percent syrah grapes, 27 percent mourvèdre, 18 percent grenache and 6 percent counoise. The wine aged in large French barrels, called foudres that hold 600 and 900 gallons; compare that figure to the 59 gallons in the typical French barrique. The point is that the larger the barrel, the smaller the ratio of wine directly exposed to wood and the less penetrating (or at least more gentle) is the wood influence. The color is vibrant dark ruby-magenta; it’s a deep, raspy, briery-brambly wine that delivers black and red cherry scents and flavors, slightly spiced and macerated and imbued with notes of blue plums and blueberries, leather and lavender, dried thyme and sage. Quivira Elusive 2013 is a shapely wine, replete on the palate and almost lavish with dusty, velvety tannins and bright acidity for liveliness and energy. It draws out a line of finely spun graphite and granitic minerality in a finish packed with tantalizing dried spices and flowers. 14.7 percent alcohol. Production was 612 cases. Winemaker was Hugh Chappelle. Drink through 2018 or ’19. Excellent. About $36.

The Buried Cane “Heartwood” Red Wine 2013, Columbia Valley, Washington, is a Rhone Valley style blend of 37 percent syrah grapes, 24 percent grenache, 19 mourvèdre, 13 cinsault, 5 counoise and 2 viognier. What’s gratifying about the wine is that while it offers no finesse — that’s not the point — it’s not rustic or roughshod, either, and in fact it practically pulses with energy and personality. The color is bright medium ruby; the wine is pungent with layered aromas of wild black currants and plums, mint, black olives and cedar and notes of briers, brambles, leather and loam, all presided over by a piquant tone of iodine. On the palate, it’s fairly dense and textured, delivering raspily raspberry-ish flavors highlighted by mulberry and blueberry, buoyed by lip-smacking acidity and smacky tannins, this panoply leading to a dry, dust-flecked, spice-and-graphite-packed finish. 15.1 percent alcohol, which does not come across as over-ripe or charged with heat. Production was 758 cases. Drink now through 2018 to 2020 with braised short ribs or veal shanks, grilled leg of lamb studded with garlic and rosemary, you know, that sort of thing. Buried Cane is a label of Middleton Family Wines. Winemaker is Kendall Mix. Excellent. About $25.

Does Randall Grahm need four rosé wines among his current releases from Bonny Doon Vineyard? One would have to take a dusky stroll through the shadowy, convoluted corridors of Grahm’s imagination to find an answer to that question. Sufficient to our task is the presence of these products — samples for review — not all of which are as straightforward as the term rosé would indicate. Two of these wines are based on Rhone Valley grape varieties, not a surprise since Bonny Doon specializes in wines made from such grapes, but another was made from ciliegiolo grapes, a distaff cousin or bastard child, as it were, to sangiovese, while the last is composed of grapes from France’s southwest region, tannat and cabernet franc. One of the wines produced from Rhone-style grapes aged in glass containers outside for nine months, a process that drained color from the wine and added a slightly oxidized, sherry-like character. Whatever the case, I guarantee that you will be intrigued and fascinated, if not delighted by these wines, which are arranged in order of hue from left to right, as indicated by the image above.
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The Bonny Doon Vineyard Vin Gris de Cigare is always a favorite rosé in our house, and the version for 2015, carrying a Central Coast designation, is no different. A blend of 44 percent grenache grapes, 20 percent grenache blanc, 13 carignane, 10 mourvèdre, 7 cinsaut and 6 roussanne, the wine offers a hue of the most ineffable pale pink, like the blush on a nymph’s thigh, and delicate, breezy aromas of watermelon, raspberry, strawberry, thyme and wet flint. Crisp acidity keeps this rosé keen and lively, while its macerated red berry flavors make it delicious and easy to drink; a background of limestone provides structure. 13.5 percent alcohol. Drink now through the end of 2016. Exquisite poise, balance and freshness. Excellent. About $18.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________Tuile is the French word for the curved roof-tiles ubiquitous in the South of France (and also the term for the curved cookies that resemble them). The pale orange-brick color of the Bonny Doon Vineyard Vin Gris Tuilé 2013, Central Coast, resembles the hue of those roofs, to some extent, but also refers to a relatively obscure practice of leaving young wine exposed to the elements to mature. Composed of 55 percent grenache grapes, 23 percent mourvèdre, 10 roussanne, 7 cinsaut, 3 carignane, 2 grenache blanc, this wine was left al fresco for nine months in glass demijohns or carboys; the result is a sherry-like wine that displays fresh and appealing aromas of almonds and orange peel, spiced tea, smoke and cloves. True to the red grapes from which it primarily originated — the grenache, mourvedre, cinsaut and carignane — the wine displays a rooty, foresty element that bolsters notes of spiced pear, hibiscus and apricot and an aura that’s altogether savory and saline. 13 percent alcohol. Drink now through 2018 or ’19. Intriguing and ephemeral, but with real spine. Production was 192 cases. Excellent. About $26.
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Tracy Hills is a small AVA, approved in 2006 by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, that straddles San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties about 55 miles south-southeast of San Francisco in the Central Valley. The Bonny Doon Il Ciliegiolo Rosato 2015, Mt. Oso Vineyard, Tracy Hills, marks the first time I have seen this AVA on a label. The ciliegiolo grape, from the Italian for “cherry,” is related to sangiovese, but whether as a parent or off-spring is a matter of dispute. Made from 100 percent ciliegiolo grapes, this rosé exhibits a bright cerise hue and aromas of cherries, cherries, cherries in every form — fresh, dried, spiced and macerated — with notes of wild strawberries and raspberries, a flush of rhubarb and pomegranate, a hint of tomato skin. It’s a woodsy rosé, sun-drenched, a bit dusty, quite dry and delivering some graphite-tinged tannins from mid-palate through the finish. 12.4 percent alcohol. Drink now through 2018. One of the more interesting and complex rosés I have encountered. Production was 442 cases. Excellent. About $24. (A release for the winery’s DEWN Club.)
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The Bonny Doon A Proper Pink 2015, California, joins the roster of the winery’s “Proper” brand, and while the wines are serious, the back-label verbiage is strictly faux-British tongue-in-cheek — and rather long-winded, old boy. Composed, unusually, of 61 percent tannat grapes and 39 percent cabernet franc, the wine offers a provocative cherry-red color shading to salmon; it’s a warm, sunny, fleshy rosé that features aromas of spiced and macerated raspberries and strawberries and notes of tomato leaf and almond skin; a few minutes in the glass bring in hints of briers, orange rind and sour melon candy. A lip-smacking texture is leavened by lively acidity and a dusty quality like damp roof tiles. 13 percent alcohol. Now through 2017. Very Good+. About $16.
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When I posted last week’s edition of Weekend Wine Notes, devoted to catching up on reviews of pinot noir wines from California, William Allen replied on Facebook, “Lots of Pinots — time to be Rhônely.” Allen happens to make tiny quantities of wines from Rhône Valley grape varieties under the Two Shepherds label in Sonoma County. In honor of his response, today I offer brief reviews of nine wines made from such Rhône grapes as syrah, grenache and mourvedre, including one from Two Shepherds that I should have mentioned months ago, as well as several others from California, one from Washington state, two from the southern Rhône Valley and two from Australia, where the syrah grape is called shiraz. As usual in these Weekend Wine Notes, I eschew reams of technical, historical, geological and personnel information in favor of incisive reviews intended to pique your interest and whet your palate. With duly noted exceptions, these wines were samples for review. Enjoy!
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Balma Venitia La Chapelle Notre Dame d’Aubune 2012, Beaumes de Venise. 14.5% alc. Grenache, syrah, cinsault. Dark ruby-purple; exuberant nose of black currants and black raspberries, violets and lavender; a wine of woodsy tendrils, filigrees and roots, with lip-smacking acidity and a savory note of grilled bread and mushrooms; an aura of clean linen snapping in a fresh breeze; fairly dense and chewy, with polished, slightly dusty tannins and a a sleek lithe texture. A joy to drink, now through 2019 or ’20. Excellent. About $25, a local purchase.
William-Harrison Imports, Manassas, Va.
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Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem 2014, Cotes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France. 14% alc. Predominantly syrah, with grenache and carignan. Dark ruby-purple with a magenta rim; violets and loam, fresh black currants and plums with a hint of blackberry jam; lavender and licorice, smoke and graphite, notes of wet fur, tapenade and underbrush; lithe, supple and sinewy, quite tasty and refreshing but dense with dusty, slightly velvety tannins. A serious wine that also delights and charms. Now through 2020 to ’22. Excellent. About $28.
An R. Shack Selection for HB Wine Merchants, New York.
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Cadaretta Windthrow 2012, Columbia Valley, Washington. 14.8% alc. Syrah 56%, grenache 25%, mourvèdre 19%. 130 cases. Deep ruby-purple, motor-oil opaque, with a thermo-magenta rim; earth and loam, briers and brambles, lavender and leather and wet dog; intense and concentrated notes of blackberry, blueberry and plum; a sense of immersive and slightly austere tannins but finely honed and sifted; the oak comes up from mid-palate back providing a woodsy-spicy framework. Tremendous presence and character. Try 2017 or ’18 through 2025 to ’27. Excellent. About $ .
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Domaine de Couron 2012, Côtes du Rhône. 14.5% alc. 60% grenache, 40% syrah. Dark ruby-garnet; notes of sage and thyme, ripe and macerated black and red currants and cherries; a direct appeal of fruit and structure with pleasing heft and presence; slightly briery tannins, with a hint of leather and loam and a faint floral overtone. Drink now through 2018 or ’19. Very Good+. About $14, a local purchase.
Imported by Chloé Wines, Seattle, Wash.
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Charles Heintz Winery Roxy Syrah 2013, Sonoma Coast. 13% alc. 150 cases (or 98 cases depending on if you believe the label or the website). Very dark ruby-purple with a glowing violet rim; a beautiful bosky-meadowy bouquet of roses and wild strawberries, heather and blueberries with hints of mint, tobacco and loam; sleek, lithe, silky texture enveloped by moderate tannins and enlivened by bright acidity; develops some rasp and cut in the glass, with notes of white pepper, briers, brambles and underbrush. A blithe version of the grape. Drink now through 2018 to ’20. Very Good+. About $46.
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Quivira Vineyards Wine Creek Ranch Grenache 2012, Dry Creek Valley. 14.7% alc. Certified bio-dynamic. Entrancing ruby-crimson hue with a transparent rim; cloves, orange rind, black tea; cedar and pine; raspberry and black currant with a touch of pomegranate and cranberry; lean and lithe, brambly and a little raspy; vibrant acidity that plows a furrow on the palate; lovely heft and tone, nicely meshed tannins and oak; nothing opulent here, you feel the structure as a defining principle. Now through 2019 to ’22. Excellent. About $35. A local purchase.
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Two Shepherds Saralee’s Vineyard Syrah 2012, Russian River Valley. 13.2% alc. 60 cases. Opaque ruby-magenta with a pale rim; fleshy and meaty; ripe and slightly roasted blackberries, black currants and plums; cloves, fruitcake, oolong tea; firm, dusty tannins under a silky smooth texture that seduces the palate; deeply spicy black fruit flavors infused with graphite and lavender, powered by fleet acidity; the finish chiseled, sleek, polished and not austere. Truly lovely syrah, with power and elegance. Now through 2019 to ’22. Excellent. About $38.
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Wakefield Jaraman Shiraz 2013, Clare Valley & McLaren Vale, Australia. 14.5% alc. Solid dark ruby hue; mint and iodine, black and red cherries and raspberries with a touch of thyme and tapenade; a steel thread of graphite runs through it; cloves, violets and an exotic hint of sandalwood; sleek, supple texture but slightly shaggy, dusty tannins dominate. Now through 2013 to ’25. Excellent. About $30.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________Wakefield St. Andrews Shiraz 2013, Clare Valley. 14.5% alc. Very dark ruby color; black and red raspberries and currants threaded by mint and iodine, graphite and a rooty-branchy-loamy element; notes of tobacco and cedar emerge; quite flavorful, tasty ripe and slightly spicy berries, but plenty of acidity for liveliness and dusty, flint-laced tannins for structure. Now through 2020 to ’23. Very Good+. About $60.
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Do I have to defend the right or necessity to drink rosé wines all year around? Do I have to man the barricades, go to the wall, belly up to the bar to convince nay-sayers that a shimmering, scintillating, beautiful rosé wine — dry, vibrant, fruity, subtle: not sweet — is appropriate in every month and season? If I have to do that, then my case may be hopeless, as far as the die-hard opposition goes, but those who have followed this blog for a considerable period will require no further persuasion, gentle or not. A clean dry rosé may serve as a refreshing aperitif in December as well as June, and few wines go better with fried chicken, for example, or various terrines or the egg-based dishes that front the sideboard for big family breakfasts during the upcoming holidays. Thanksgiving dinner itself is a good test for rosé wines. No, friends, do not neglect the rosé genre, from which I offer 10 models today. The Weekend Wine Notes eschew detailed technical, historical and geographical data (which we all adore) for the sake of incisive reviews ripped, almost, from the very pages of my notebooks, though arranged in more shapely fashion. These eclectic wines were samples for review. Enjoy!
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Bila-Haut Rosé 2014, Pays d’Oc (from M. Chapoutier). NA% alc. Grenache and cinsault. Pale copper-salmon hue; orange zest, strawberries and raspberries; a pleasing heft of limestone minerality with cutting acidity; juicy and thirst-quenching, but dry as sun-baked stones; a finish delicately etched with chalk and dried thyme. Very Good+. About $14.
An R. Shack Selection, HB Wine Merchants, New York.
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Blair Vineyards Delfina’s Vineyard Rosé of Pinot Noir 2014, Arroyo Seco. 13.3% alc. 117 cases. Bright peach-copper color; ripe strawberries macerated with cloves, raspberries, hints of tomato skin and pomegranate; paradoxically and deftly fleshy and juicy while being quite crisp and dry and tightly tuned with limestone and flint. A superior rosé. Excellent. About $22.
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Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare 2014, Central Coast. 13% alc. 35% grenache, 18% mourvedre, 16% grenache blanc, 12.5% roussanne, 8% carignane, 8% cinsault, 1.5% marsanne, 1% counoise. Very pale onion skin hue with a topaz glow; quite delicate, almost fragile; dried strawberries and raspberries with a touch of peach and hints of lavender and orange rind; gently dusty and minerally, like rain-water drying on a warm stone; a note of sage in the finish. Elegantly ravishing. Excellent. About $18.
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Bridge Lane Rosé 2014, New York State (from Lieb Cellars). 11.9% alc. Cabernet franc 63%, merlot 21%, pinot blanc 8%, riesling 5%, gewurztraminer 3%. Ethereal pale peach-copper color; delicate notes of peach, strawberry and raspberry with a touch of watermelon and spiced pear; a hint of minerality subtle as a river-stone polished with talc; incisive acidity for liveliness; develops more floral elements as the moments pass: lavender, rose petal, violets, all beautifully knit. Excellent. About $18.
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Charles Heintz Vineyards Rosé of Pinot Noir 2014, Sonoma Coast. 13.5% alc. 250 cases. Beautiful salmon scale-light copper hue; blood orange, tomato skin, strawberries and raspberries, hints of violets and lilac, a note of cloves and damp limestone; red fruit on the palate with an undertone of peach; quite dry and crisp, lithe on the palate, but with appealing red fruit character and an element of stone-fruit and chalk-flint minerality. A gorgeous rosé. Excellent. About $19.
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Cornerstone Stepping Stone Corallina Rosé 2014, Napa Valley. 13.1% alc. 100% syrah. Very pretty pink coral color; strawberries and raspberries, hint of pomegranate and a fascinating note of spiced tea and apple peel compote; a few minutes in the glass bring in touches of tomato aspic and red currants; full-bodied for a rose, with a texture that would be almost lush save for the bristling acidity that keeps the whole package energized. Drink through 2016. Excellent. About $18.
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Crossbarn Rosé of Pinot Noir 2014, Sonoma Coast (from Paul Hobbs). 12.5% alc. Pale copper-salmon color; intriguing musky-spicy note, like rose hips, camellias, pomegranate, cloves and sandalwood macerated together; strawberries and orange rind; hints of pink grapefruit and peach; lively and crisp, with a chalk and flint edge to the supple texture; gains a fleshy and florid character on the finish. Very Good+. About $18
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Loomis Family “Air” Rosé Wine 2013, Napa Valley. 12% alc. 41% grenache 36% mourvedre 13% counoise 10% syrah. 125 cases. Light copper-salmon hue; dried strawberries and raspberries, notes of lavender and red cherry; hints of watermelon and cloves; incisive acidity and limestone minerality bolster juicy red fruit flavors and an elegant and supple texture that retains a crisp chiseled character; a fillip of grapefruit rind and lemongrass provide interest on the finish. Drink through 2016. Excellent. About $18.
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Santa Cristina Cipresseto Rosato 2014, Toscano IGT. 11% alc. Sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah. (An Antinori brand since 1946.) Light pink-peach color; delicately floral and spicy, notes of raspberries and red currants and a hint of dried thyme and heather; clean acidity and limestone minerality offer gentle ballast for tasty but spare red fruit flavors. Very Good+. About $14.
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Stinson Vineyards Rosé 2014, Monticello, Va. 13% alc. 100% mouvèdre. 175 cases. Classic onion skin hue with a tinge of darker copper; pink grapefruit, rose petals, cloves; raspberries and strawberries delicately strung on a line of limestone minerality and bright acidity; from mid-palate back notes of cranberry, pomegranate and grapefruit rind leading to a tart finish; lovely balance and integrity. Excellent. About $19.
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For the Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Volant 2011, Central Coast, owner and winemaker Randall Grahm drew grapes from eight vineyards located all the way from Contra Costa County in the north to Santa Maria Valley in the south. The blend of this Rhone Valley-inspired wine is 37 percent mourvèdre, 34 percent grenache, 20 percent syrah and nine percent cinsault. The color is a rich and radiant dark to medium ruby hue; the bouquet is a complex weaving of fresh and dried red and black raspberries and currants, with notes of mulberry, cloves, sandalwood and rosemary (with a sight touch of the herb’s resinous edge) and undertones of loam, moss, burning leaves and tobacco-leaf. The mood, then, is autumnal, earthy, almost nostalgic; you could even call this wine old-fashioned in its repudiation of plushness, opulence, alcoholic heat and super-ripeness. It is — no surprise — quite dry, riveting in its blazing acidity and dusty, graphite-infused tannins, though neither these tannins nor the subtle, supple oak halo exert undue influence; rather, the intention is to give the wine a spare, faceted structure that will age well while supporting its elegant and mildly spicy black and red fruit effects. 14.2 percent alcohol. Production was 2,527 cases. We drank this bottle with a medium rare flank-steak salad (tomatoes, arugula and avocado) with a shallot vinaigrette. It would also serve well with more robust fare, particularly, in the ideal of my mind’s eye, with roasted venison or pheasant, rabbit pappardelle or something English, like steak-and-kidney pie. Now through 2021 to 2024. Excellent. About $45.

I was jesting a few days ago when I posted my “50 Great Wines of 2014” and urged people to get their shopping lists ready. Obviously not many consumers are going to make note of a hundred-dollar cabernet sauvignon or a strictly limited, hard to find grenache gris. Here, though, is the roster that you’ve been waiting for, the “25 Great Wine Bargains of 2014,” a list of fairly widely available, well-made wines that will not but a strain on your budget. You will notice that a wine doesn’t have to be expensive to earn an Excellent rating. Seventeen of these products, priced from $10 to $20 have Excellent ratings; the rest are Very Good+. Not a one would you regret buying, some of them by the case. Now that fact that a number of these wines are from 2011 and 2012 means that they probably ought to be consumed quickly, especially the white wines and rosés; most of the reds can go for a year or two. The point is that these are terrific over-achieving wines that offer more personality and complexity than their prices might imply. The order is descending cost. Enjoy!

Brewers that work in the craft or European tradition often issue seasonal or limited release beers, so why should wineries be any different? Here’s an example, and if you’re feeling bewitched, bothered and bewildered — or rather beset by the obligations and responsibilities of late December — turn to Besieged 2013, a limited release red wine from Ravenswood, the well-known zinfandel producer in Sonoma County. Made from an unspecified blend of petite sirah, carignane, zinfandel, syrah, barbera, alicante bouschet and mourvedre grapes, the wine sports a deep ruby color and enticing aromas of ripe blackberries, red and black currants and blueberries, these notes highlighted by elements of briers and brambles, graphite and lavender. This is robust and rustic in all the right ways, with rollicking acidity, lip-smacking tannins and a slightly shaggy texture to support its fleshy and dusty black fruit flavors flecked with hints of ancho chili and cloves. Lots of the power you need to power through big dinners of braised short ribs or lamb shanks, hearty beef stews or just a bacon-cheeseburger. Winemaker is Joel Peterson. 14.5 percent alcohol. Very Good+. About $22.